WSOCC draws Badgers in 2017 openerHawks gain a valuable road point in opener but walk away disappointed they could not get the full threeSaturday, August 26, 2017 - Posted by Laura O'Toole

ST. CATHARINES, Ont. (Friday, August 25, 2017) – After a marathon ten-month layoff between last year’s OUA playoffs and Friday’s season opener in St. Catharines, the Laurier Golden Hawks women’s soccer team got out to as good a start on the road as they could have wanted. The Brock Badgers were able to find the answers though, turning a late two-goal deficit into an unlikely 2-2 draw, much to the delight of the home crowd at Alumni Field.

Following a tightly-contested, scoreless first 60 minutes, the Hawks (0-0-1) made the first breakthrough after Kitchener’s Nicole Lyon was fouled inside the area and awarded a penalty in the 66th minute. She promptly stepped up to the spot and put it away to give the purple and gold the first advantage of the game.

It marked a triumphant return to the pitch for Lyon, a 2015 OUA First Team All-Star, after sitting out the entire season last year. Look for her to return to her scintillating 2015 form and be a major factor for the Hawks offensively in 2017.

Having seemingly gained the momentum, the Hawks struck again just minutes later in the 76th with second-year striker Mackenzie D’Andrade (Newmarket, Ont.) doubling the Laurier lead.

With odds of a late comeback looking slim, the Badgers (0-0-1) needed a speedy reply. Niagara Falls midfielder Ashley Harris game them just that a mere three minutes later to put Brock within striking distance.

The Hawks’ defence appeared as though it was going to be able to hold that one-goal margin all the way to the final whistle. That was until disaster struck in the 88th. In a chaotic frenzy on the goal line, Bethany Kromer (Whitby, Ont.) was able to get a boot to it for the Badgers to find the equalizer.

Markham rookie Caroline Tepelenas got the start in the middle of the field for the Hawks in her first taste of OUA action. Ashley Almeida (Burlington, Ont.) made seven saves in net for the Golden Hawks, while Marilena Spagnolo of St. Catharines stopped five for the Badgers.

The purple and gold will take the tough-luck draw and travel to Hamilton for their second of two opening weekend away matches. Kickoff against the McMaster Marauders goes at 1:00 p.m. from Ron Joyce Stadium.